Mums, as you breastfeed your newborn baby, you might think that he never stops feeding. You may be even considered that you are overfeeding the baby. So how to tell if your baby is still hungry after breastfeeding? And how can you tell if the baby is hungry or they just want comfort?
Perhaps it might make you wonder how large or small a baby’s stomach actually is. But the size of a newborn’s stomach isn’t as simple as it appears to be. The stomach keeps growing in the initial days post childbirth and you will see a growth in the appetite as well. So, don’t be shocked if your baby seems hungrier than usual.
In fact, here are some tips on how to tell if your baby is still hungry after breastfeeding. We’ll be looking into what science has to say about your little tot’s stomach size and what the best way is to feed them. But keep in mind that not all babies are the same and that this merely a guide to keep you better informed on how to tell if your baby is still hungry after breastfeeding.
Science is challenging these standard beliefs about a baby’s stomach size. | Photo: incomingincomingbaby
Why Baby’s Stomach Size Doesn’t Matter
Mums, have you ever asked yourself this question – if my baby’s stomach is this tiny, why is he always hungry and latched on? How to really tell if my baby is still hungry after breastfeeding?
Now, we know that breastfeeding is more than just nourishment – it’s about love and comfort too. But is it true that all newborns have tummies the size of cherries? Or that all one-month-old babies’ stomachs are the size of eggs? Science says no.
Babies require nutrition to grow and the mother’s milk is their sole source of nutrition for the first six months | Photo: iStock
Why You Should Breastfeed on Demand, According to Science
While many birth educators frequently demonstrate the size of a newborn’s stomach by using a piece of marble, it might not be true. A small piece of marble can only contain about 5-7 millilitres of fluid.
Studies indicate that in general, a newborn baby’s stomach is around the size of a ping pong ball, and can contain about 20 millilitres of fluid.
A review conducted in 2008, which was published in the Journal of Human Lactation may explain why. The review reveals that scientific literature lacks any well-grounded studies that reliably define how big an infant’s stomach actually is.
In truth, there is no definitive answer as to how big a newborn baby’s stomach size actually is. Newborn babies enter the world with many differences in size – some are small, while others are big. The same variation in size is true for their stomachs, too.
And it’s not just stomach size that determines a baby’s appetite and nursing frequency. How well a baby latches on, his stomach’s flexibility and how long it takes to digest food all affect an infant’s appetite too.
When it comes to a stomach’s flexibility, physiological movements – like digesting milk – also need some time to develop properly. Science has long backed this up. It has been observed that baby stomachs improve – in terms of relaxing their muscles – within a few days. This lets newborn stomachs expand better and hold more fluid.
So in case you were wondering why it seems that your baby is still hungry after breastfeeding, that’s probably because he can now hold more fluid.
Signs of An Underfed Baby
Of course, feeding your baby should not only be based on how small you think their stomach is. Just like knowing when the baby is full is a way to prevent colic, you should also learn how to spot signs of an underfed baby and pay more attention to his feeding. Here are some characteristics of underfed babies:
- For newborns, their skin has become more yellow
- They cry or fuss a lot
- They like sucking on their hands
- They seem lethargic and not active even when they’re awake
- They have less than 4 wet and/or dirty diapers in a day
- Dark coloured urine
- They constantly root or open their mouth
- They aren’t gaining enough weight or gaining weight very slowly
If you notice these symptoms in your child, do not hesitate to consult their paediatrician.
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What’s The Best Way To Feed A Baby?
Feeding based on times between feeds may not be so wise considering that we don’t know exactly how large an infant’s stomach is. It’s entirely possible for one infant to remain full for a few hours, while another may need extra feeds.
Still wondering how to tell if your baby is still hungry after breastfeeding? The ideal way would be to ensure that they’re not hungry is by watching for your baby’s hunger cues and feeding on demand. Sometimes this may mean feeding multiple times within the hour.
This approach is also recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and La Leche League International.
Interestingly, feeding on demand isn’t a new realisation. Even women who are part of hunter-gatherer tribes used the same method.
Researchers studying the Kung hunter-gatherers of Namibia and Botswana noticed that during daylight hours, the women breastfed infants between 12 weeks and 2.5 years old a whopping four times an hour. Each breastfeeding session was repeated roughly 13 minutes after the other.
It might be exhausting, but that cute smile and pure happiness make it all worthwhile. | Photo: iStock
How To Know If Baby Is Still Hungry
Are you wondering how to tell if your baby is still hungry after breastfeeding? Familiarise yourself with the following hunger cues:
- Show rooting reflexes (your baby will open their little mouth and nuzzle against you, looking for your breast, or start sucking on whatever they can find)
- Move their heads from side to side
- Open their mouths
- Stick out their tongues
- Place their hands and fists to their mouths
- Pucker their lips as if sucking
- Becoming fussy or crying, which is usually the last sign that your child is hungry
If you spot these signs, the obvious thing to do is to feed your baby more. However, if you are following a time-based feeding system, here are some pointers to remember.
- Do not wait until the baby is really hungry and screaming before you nurse him. He may be too agitated to eat properly. Crying will also exhaust him. It may send him to sleep the moment he is on your breast.
- Do not worry if the baby doesn’t nurse every two to three hours. You’re looking at a routine, not a strict schedule. As long as you keep an eye out for those hunger cues mentioned above, a regular feeding schedule should fall into place.
- Don’t worry that your baby is starving or doubt if you are producing enough milk. Frequent feedings will signal your body to produce more milk. If you’re really concerned, keep an eye on two things – diapers and weight gain. If your baby is gaining weight and soaking five or six diapers a day, he’s doing just fine.
- Don’t overfeed your baby if he’s full. There are many obvious signs including slow, uninterested sucking or turning away from the breast. Instead of waiting on how to tell if your baby is still hungry after breastfeeding, stop the feeding once these signs appear and do not force the baby to drink more.
How to Tell if Baby Is Hungry or Wants Comfort
You can’t blame your baby for wanting to nurse out of comfort. Besides, calming an upset baby is a natural part of parenting, and nothing can be more natural than breastfeeding.
Moreover, comfort nursing brings about other benefits such as attachment, security, warmth, help for baby and mum in falling asleep, pain relief and providing your baby with necessary extra food during growth spurts.
However, if you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by demands being placed on you while breastfeeding your baby round the clock, then something needs to change.
Spotting the hunger signs mentioned above can help you discern if your baby is indeed hungry, or they’re just yearning to be close to you, or are just comfort-feeding.
To tell if your baby is still hungry or only wants comfort, check their latch. If they are latching well and takes long, drawn-out pulls, then they’re likely hungry and actually eating. But if their sucking motion is shorter and shallower, then there’s a good chance that they’re just comfort-nursing.
You can also check if your baby is indeed swallowing the milk. You can tell by the movement in their throat. Moreover, if you subscribe to using a pacifier for your child, you can first try soothing them with it. If they resist it, then they must be hungry and sucking on a pacifier won’t do.
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.
